Display easel



states nitcol This invention relates to display devices and inparticular to a display standard for carrying a display panel.

A conventional marketing device for use in self-service food marketscomprises a refrigerated cabinet having an open top and provided with ashelf disposed within the cabinet below the top for carrying productssuch as sliced meats, sausages and the like. The rear wall of thecabinet may be provided with means for carrying a display panel such asa cardboard or plastic sheet member which may be imprinted withadvertising, pricing information, etc., relating to the products carriedon the shelf. Conventionally, the panel mounting means comprises a pairof vertically spaced channel elements opening toward each other so thatthe upper and lower edges of the panel may be received therein to retainthe panel in viewable position from the front of the cabinet.

The present invention is concerned with a new and improved display meansfor use with such panel mounting structure. Thus, a principal object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved display structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a display structureincluding a new and improved display standard for use with such mountingmeans and arranged for facilitated support of a display panel thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a display standarddefined by a base element formed of a resilient, flexible sheet materialand having opposite edge portions spaced apart a distance greater thanthe minimum spacing between the channels to be sprung into the channelsby a bowing of the base element parallel thereto, an elongated supportelement, and hinge means securing one side of the base element to oneside of the support element with a substantial portion of the supportelement extending beyond one of the edge portions of the base elementand with the edge portions free of the support element for independentadjustment.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide such a displaystandard defined by an inverted generally T- shaped member formed of aresilient, flexible sheet material such as cardboard including a pair ofbase portions each having opposite edge portions spaced apart a distancegreater than the minimum spacing between the chanels to be sprung intothe channels by a bowing of the base portion parallel thereto, anelongated support portion, and hinge means securing one side of one baseportion to one side of the support element and securing one side of theother base portion to the opposite side of the support element inalignment with the one base portion with a substantial portion of thesupport element extending beyond one aligned pair of the edge portionsof the base elements, and with the edge portions free of the supportportion for independent adjustment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a displaystandard which is extremely simple and economical in construction.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

HQ. 1 is a front elevation of a display standard embodying the inventionprior to a folding thereof to the panel supporting configuration;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation thereof with the side edge portions of thesupport portion folded from the position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the mounting ice of thedisplay standard in a conventional channel structure;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially along theline 44 of FIG. 3 illustrating a first step in the mounting of thestandard in the channel structure;

FIG. 5 is a view generally similar to that of FIG. 4 but illustratingthe arrangement of the standard as mounted on the channel structure;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the standard mounted in the channelstructure with the protective sheet partially removed from the adhesivecoated front surface of the support portion;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation illustrating the arrangement of a displaypanel as carried by the standard; and

FiG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section taken substantialyalong the line 3-8 of FIG. 7.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in th drawing,a display standard, or easel, generally designated ltl is shown tocomprise an inverted generally T-shaped member formed of a resilientflexible sheet material such as cardboard, plastic, or the like. Thestandard 11) includes a pair of base portions 11 and 12 and an elongatedsupport portion 13 partially disposed between the base portions andsecured thereto by hinge portions 14 and 15. The base portions 11 and 12are adapted to be sprung into the channels 16 and 17 of a conventionaldisplay mounting structure 18 provided in a conventional food productmarketing cabinet (not shown). The elongated support portion 13 isprovided with means for securing a display panel 19 thereto, therebyeifectively mounting the display panel on the channel mountingstructure. Herein, the means for securing the panel 19 to the supportportion 13 comprises a layer of adhesive 20 on the front surface 21 ofthe support portion 13. The display standard may be provided by themanufacturer with a protective sheet 22 overlying the adhesive layer 2%.

More specifically, the display standard 10 may be formed of a singlesheet of cardboard cut to the inverted T-shape illustrated in FIG. 1.The base portions 11 and 12 may be rectangular with the opposite edgeportions 23 and 24 of base portion 11 and the corresponding oppositeedge portions 25 and 26 of base portion 12 being spaced apart a distancegreater than the minimum spacing between the channels 16 and 17 of themounting structure 18 whereby the base portions may be sprung into thechannels by a bowing thereof as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5. For thispurpose, the standard 10 is provided with slits 27 between therespective edge portions 23, 24, 25 and 26 and the hinge portions 14 and15. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the edge portions may be displacedrearwardly from the hinge portions 14 and 15 precluding interferencewith the mounting of the standard in the channels 16 and 17 by thesupport portion 13 and the hinge portions 14 and 15. As shown, the baseportions 11 and 12 extend substantially laterally from the supportportion 13 to retain the support portion effectively perpendicular tothe channels 16 and 17.

As discussed briefly above, the support portion 13 is hingedly connectedto the base portions 11 and 12 by the hinge portions 14 and 15. As shownin FIG. 1, the hinge portions define side edge portions of the supportportion 13 extending the full length of the support portion between theupper end 28 and the lower end 29 thereof. The base portion 11 ishingedly secured to the hinge portion 14 by a creased portion 30 andbase portion 12 is hingedly secured to the hinge portion 15 by a creasedportion 31. The hinge portion 14 is hingedly secured to the supportportion 13 by a creased portion 32 and the hinge portion 15 is hingedlysecured to the support portion 13 by a creased portion 33, all of whichcreased portions extend parallel to each other and to the elongateextent of the support portion 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the display standard is arranged for mounting on themounting structure 18 by folding the creased portions 32 and 33sufficiently to facially juxtapose the hinge portions 14 and to the rearsurface 34 of the support portion 14 and folding the creased portionsand 31 sutficiently to facially juxtapose the inner ends 35 and 36 ofthe base portions 11 and 12 to the outer surfaces 37 and 38 of the hingeportions 14- and 15. Upon release of the base portions and hingeportions subsequent to the folding step, the resiliency of the sheetmaterial of which the display standard is formed causes the hingeportions 14 and 15 to extend substantially perpendicularly to the flatplanes of the base portions and the support portion with the supportportion disposed forwardly of the base portions, as shown in FIGS. 3-8.

The display standard may now be mounted on the mounting structure 18 asshown in FIG. 3 by bowing the base portions slightly to spring the edgeportions thereof into the channels 16 and 17 for retention therein asshown in FIG. 5.

Turning now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the display panel 19 is secured to thedisplay standard by removing the protective sheet 2 2 to expose thepressure-responsive adhesive layer 20. The display panel is then securedto the support portion by pressing the rear surface 39 thereof againstthe adhesive layer 20. As shown, th display panel 19 may carry anysuitable indicia such as imprinted indicia 40 for ready viewing.

As the spacing between the opposite ends 28 and 29 of the supportportion 13 is substantially greater than the spacing between thechannels 16 and 17, a display panel 19 of substantial height may beutilized, providing improved presentation to the viewer as compared tothe relatively small-height cards heretofore provided for use with suchchannel mounting means wherein the upper and lower edges of the displaycards were received directly in the channels. By arranging the supportportion 13 with the lower end 2 below the lower edge portions 24 and 26of the base portions 11 and 12 respectively, the display panel issupported to extend somewhat below the channel mounting structure 18thereby effectively utilizing an increased portion of the space adjacentthe mounting structure 18 for display purposes.

As the adhesive layer 20 is adapted for securing display panels of awide variation in shape and size, a substantial universal mountingstandard or easel is provided permitting the marketer to utilize a widevariety of advertising or pricing cards and the like. While the displaystandard is formed of inexpensive flexible material, the novelarrangement thereof assures a firm positive support of the displaypanels. Further, as the pressureresponsive adhesive is readilyreuseable, the standard may be utilized over substantial periods of timewith different panels successively secured thereto. Still further, thenovel structure of the standard permits facilitated mounting in themounting structure 18 and facilitated adjustment of the display panelcarried thereby for optimum marketing viewability.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it isto be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes,therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A display standard for mounting on means defining a pair of parallel,confronting channels, comprising an inverted generally T-shaped memberformed of a resilient, flexible sheet material such as cardboardincluding a pair of base portions each having opposite edge portionsspaced apart a distance greater than the minimum spacing between saidchannels to be sprung into eta 4 the channels by a bowing of the baseportion parallel thereto, an elongated support portion, and meanssecuring one side of one base portion to one side of the support portionand securing one side of the other base portion to the opposite side ofthe support portion in alignment with the one base portion with asubstantial portion of the support portion extending beyond one alignedpair of the edge portions of the base elements, and with said edgeportions free of the support portion for independent adjustment.

2. The display standard of claim 1 wherein the support portion includesa portion extending beyond the other of said edge portions of the baseportion.

3. The display standard of claim 1 wherein the securing means compriseshinge means including a portion of the sheet provided with preformedcreases defining connections to the base portions and support portion.

4. A display standard for mounting on means defining a pair of parallel,confronting channels, comprising a base element formed of a resilient,flexible sheet material and having opposite edge portions spaced apart adistance greater than the minimum spacing between said channels to besprung into the channels by a bowing of the base element parallelthereto, an elongated support element, and hinge means extendingtransversely to said edge portions securing one side of the base elementto one side of the support element with a substantial portion of thesupport element extending beyond one of said edge portions of the baseelement and with said edge portions free of the support element forindependent adjustment.

5. A display standard for mounting on means defining a pair of parallel,confronting channels, comprising: base means including a pair of spacedelements each formed of a resilient, flexible sheet material and havingopposite edge portions spaced apart a distance greater than the minimumspacing between said channels to be sprung into the channels by a bowingof the base element parallel thereto, an elongated support elementhaving a portion between said base elements, hinge means extendingtransversely to said edge portions securing one side of one base elementto one side of said support element portion and one side of the otherbase element to the opposite side of said support member portion with asubstantial portion of the support element extending beyond one of saidedge portions of each base element and with each of said edge portionsfree of the support element for independent adjustment.

6. A display standard for mounting on means defining a pair of parallel,confronting channels, comprising base means including a pair of spacedelements each formed of a resilient, flexible sheet material and havingopposite edge portions spaced apart a distance greater than the minimumspacing between said channels to be sprung into the channels by a bowingof the base element parallel thereto, an elongated support elementhaving a portion between said base elements, hinge means extendingtransversely to said edge portions securing one side of one base elementto one side of said support element portion and one side of the otherbase element to the opposite side of said support member portion with asubstantial portion of the support element extending beyond one of saidedge portions of each base element and with each of said edge portionsfree of the support element for independent adjustment, and means on thesupport element for securing an indicia element thereto.

7. The display standard of claim 6 wherein the means on the support forsecuring an indicia element thereto comprises a layer ofpressure-responsive adhesive on the support.

8. A display standard for mounting on means defining a pair of parallel,confronting channels, comprising a base element formed of a resilient,flexible sheet material and having opposite edge portions spaced apart adistance greater than the minimum spacing between said channels to besprung into the channels by a bowing of the base element parallelthereto, an elongated support element, and hinge means securing one sideof the base element to one side of the support element With asubstantial portion of the support element extending beyond one of saidedge portions of the base element and with said edge portions free ofthe support portion for independent adjustment, said hinge meansdefining a side edge portion of the support element extending end to endthereof.

9. The display standard of claim 8 wherein said support elementcomprises a generally planar element and said side edge portions extendsubstantially perpendicularly thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,292,272 Hirshfield Aug. 4, 1942 10 2,921,393 Wood Jan. 19, 1960

